MILWAUKEE — Just days after an assassin’s bullet grazed former President Trump’s ear, Republicans gathered for the first day of their party’s presidential election.
But the mood wasn’t somber, but rather upbeat and confident, a stark contrast to when the Republican Convention was held in person eight years ago.
“Our party has never been more united,” Rep. Jim Banks (R-Indiana), who will be speaking with other Senate candidates on Tuesday night, told The Hill in an interview. “The Republican Party was united before Saturday, but now the Republican Party is not only united, but even more fired up to win the election in November.”
“I remember back in 2016, there were still efforts and attempts even at the convention to remove Donald Trump from the nomination,” he said. “This convention is on solid ground, and we are unanimously endorsing Donald J. Trump not only to be the nominee, but to win in November.”
The first day of this week’s Republican National Convention (RNC) was on Monday, and while President Trump is leading President Biden in multiple national and battleground state polls and races remain close in places like Michigan and Wisconsin, Republicans feel they are in a strong position to retake the White House and possibly take control of both houses of Congress.
Trump himself was hailed as a hero, drawing thunderous applause at the Fiserv Forum during his first public appearance at a weekend rally since surviving an assassination attempt.
He waved to the crowd, pumped his fist and shook hands with Tucker Carlson, Rep. Byron Donald and family members before taking his seat in the arena.
A few minutes into a rally in Pennsylvania, the former president was hit by a bullet in the area of his bandaged ear. Secret Service agents stormed onto the stage and covered Trump. When the former president stood up, his face was streaked with blood. He pumped his fist and told the crowd to “fight.”
During Monday’s meeting, attendees occasionally yelled “Fight!”, echoing Trump’s own words.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), a leading ally of Trump in the House, called the convention both a “celebratory” and a “solemn moment for our country.”
Earlier Monday evening, “YMCA” blared from the speakers and a video board showed Trump dancing to the song at the rally, with all the assembled delegates rising to their feet and dancing along.
The Republican Party unanimously nominated Trump formally as its presidential candidate after his primary rival, Nikki Haley, announced her delegate roster. Haley is scheduled to speak here on Tuesday.
President Trump announced on Monday that he would nominate Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) as his running mate, a move greeted with rapturous cheers at the convention, where the crowd roared “JD!” as Sen. Vance, accompanied by his wife Usha, appeared on the stage to officially announce himself as the party’s running mate.
The final speech of the night came from Teamsters President Sean O’Brien, a somewhat unusual choice that reflected Republican efforts this election to woo union members and dismantle a core part of President Biden’s coalition.
“We have a big tent called the Republican Party and we’re filling it,” Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican who distanced himself from Trump during the 2021 campaign but has endorsed the former president this year, said at the party’s convention.
“This is an opportunity to not only unite the Republican Party that we see here, but to unite America,” he added.
Speakers on Monday night included Youngkin, Sen. Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R-South Dakota), Sen. Katie Britt (R-Alabama), Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Rep. John James (R-Michigan) and North Carolina gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson (R-North Carolina).
Taylor Greene has slammed illegal immigrants and declared that there are “only two genders.”
In a heavily criticized rebuttal during the State of the Union address, Britt argued that Biden’s economic policies are hurting American families with higher prices.
Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina said President Biden was “asleep at the wheel” and rejected the idea that America is a “racist country.”
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) said Democratic policies were a “clear and imminent danger to the nation,” a notable remark amid calls from both parties for him to refrain from speaking out. Johnson later said he had read his earlier remarks.
The harshest criticism came from technology entrepreneur David Sachs, who slammed Biden as “sleepy and dim” and ridiculed Vice President Harris as “ignorant and embarrassing”.
The former president also suggested that his prime-time speech on Thursday, when he will formally accept his party’s nomination, may also have a different tone.
“This is an opportunity to bring the whole country, even the whole world, together,” Trump told the Washington Examiner. “The speech is going to look a lot different than it did two days ago.”
